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Newport Harbor to Cabo Yacht Race

Newport Harbor to Cabo Race Facts:

1st Start 22nd March 2013

2nd Start 23rd March 2013

Start Location: Newport Beach, California

Finish Location: Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Course covers approximately 800 nautical miles

During March, all competitors in the Newport to Cabo race are being offered free access to Buoyweather.com premium weather services, which include GPS pinpoint forecasts, 7-day wind and weather forecasts, e-mail alerts, detailed wind data, and charts. Buoyweather assembles and models the best available marine forecast information to give the Newport Harbor to Cabo racers incredible information in the planning and preparation for their race down the Baja coast as well as detailed route forecasts for the delivery back home.
Once the Newport Harbor to Cabo race begins, keep up-to-date with the fleets' progress down the coast with the tracking services of iBoat. Each of the the entries will be equipped with an onboard GPS transmitter that will allow friends and family onshore to follow a boat, class, or the entire fleet. Along with tracking onshore spectators will be provided with current weather information that the racers are experiencing on the racecourse.
As the Newport to Cabo racers arrive in Cabo San Lucas, they will be greeted with good times and plenty of beverages as they stow their boats. The party begins shortly thereafter......Competitors will have many opportunities to enjoy the amazing scenery, sounds and tastes of Cabo as numerous events for all the participants are organized each year. The awards ceremony will be held on the beach. So, dress accordingly to make sure you are comfortable for the big Newport Harbor to Cabo winner celebration.

Newport Harbor to Cabo Race Marine Forecast & Weather Charts

Newport Harbor to Cabo Regatta Tips

One month before the Newport Harbor to Cabo race set a game plan. Speak with people who have participated in the Newport to Cabo race, and plan on attending any race seminars to get a feel for what the typical conditions are.

The simple 7-day outlooks are where you will start. Favorites are our friend. Set the multiple points along the Newport Harbor to Cabo course, and begin checking them daily the week of the race to discover trends, and to find which maps are easier for you to use. Look at what the wind is doing throughout the day, and focus on the basic trends. For example, if you see the afternoon forecast says 12-14 out of the WNW and the following morning says 3-5 out of the SSW be aware of not only the wind shift, but also that there will most likely be a period of time that the wind will die completely.

Next look at the Centered Charts such as GFS, Wave, and SLP in the "Forecast Tools" section on the left hand side. Pay particular attention to the nearshore wind.

The idea behind the new charting system is for you to make your own chart boundaries and add them to your Buoyweather Favorites list for future use. Select the chart area you want to see. From there you should zoom in/out and change the chart center for your specific needs. When it is aligned the way you want with the chart variable you desire, add it to your Buoyweather favorites. The zoom in/out buttons are in the chart menu. To change the center, use the form on the left to alter the current Virtual Buoy position. This will adjust the center of the chart, or any other lat/long based display you are looking at.

One week before the start of the Newport Harbor to Cabo race look at the overall synoptic setup (SLP). Check for high and low pressure systems, and how they affect wind and swell. Animate the screen to see how the ridges are changing.

Be aware of pressure shifts, and look for where the wind will most likely be coming from. If it has been filling in consistently from the top of the course then it should be part of your game plan to be on that side of the course. Not the furthest out, but towards the area where pressure is filling in.

Two days before the start of the Newport Harbor to Cabo race refine your game plan. Look closely at the points you have selected and print the charts that you find most helpful. Select a few more points inside and outside of the ones you have set as favorites. Set up text alerts for the points you think will follow your general course. You can receive simple text messages for free on your SAT phone, and these will alert you to any sudden changes. If you have sailmail you can use that to stay updated as well.

Print the tide information for the start of the Newport to Cabo race and for when you think you will be finishing and be aware of where the start and finish lines will be. Tides can make a huge difference particularly at the finish of many races, and you should always be aware of what they are doing.

Do a final Newport Harbor to Cabo race weather check, and print and pages that you do not have already.